1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to a platform construction. More particularly, it relates to a platform having utility as a seat or as a platform upon which to stand in vehicles subjected to violent shocks such as speedboats, aircraft and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shock absorbing marine platforms are typically mounted atop an upstanding pedestal that is supported by the deck of a boat. Many boats are equipped with poorly designed platforms that provide inadequate protection against shocks of the type encountered by a high speed watercraft. Moreover, many of the known platforms are structurally complex mechanisms requiring specially manufactured, expensive parts.
What is needed, then, is a shock absorbing platform having improved shock absorbing attributes. The needed shock absorbing platform should be made of inexpensive, commonly available parts as well.
Speedboats are often equipped with a pedestal-mounted bolster chair having a heavily padded back and sides and a seat that may be folded out of the way when a user desires to stand. The user folds the horizontal seat when it is unable to adequately attenuate shocks generated by the violent jolting of the vehicle and stands in a space bounded by the back and sides. However, the standing user must then rely on his or her legs to absorb the shocks as they come.
There exists a need, therefore, for a shock-absorbing platform upon which a user may stand when a vehicle is undergoing intense vibrations and shocks.
Moreover, there is a need for such a platform that fits within the space bordered by the back and sides of a bolster chair so that a standing user could be protected at the back and sides by the bolster chair while standing on a shock absorbing platform.
Some boats, such as bass boats, lack pedestals and shock absorbing seats. There is a need, then, for a shock absorbing seat that can be placed in a boat having no pedestal.
Many boat owners would like to replace their platforms, but no platforms are available that could be retrofit onto an existing pedestal.
There exists a further need, therefore, for an improved shock absorbing platform that can be easily retrofit onto existing pedestals.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,109,621 to Etal discloses a shock absorbing seat of the type not designed to be retrofit onto an existing pedestal. It includes a shock absorbing cylinder in the center of the bottom of the seat. As such, the seat cannot be mounted atop a pre-existing pedestal. The same observation holds for the platforms disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,093,197 to Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,125,242 to Meiller et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,573 to Aondetta, and many other similar patents.
Moreover, the shock absorbing attributes of the platforms of the prior art are difficult to adjust. For example, the shock absorbing platform disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,742 to Severson requires disassembly and re-assembly of the apparatus to replace a first set of spacer members with a second set of spacer members when a primary adjustment means is inadequate.
Many other patents disclose platforms that might be mountable atop a pedestal, but if so mounted would be nonadjustable in height or in rotational adjustment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,488 to Sakamoto discloses a platform structure where a transversely disposed frame member at the front of the assembly would bar access to a height adjustment pin or a rotational adjustment pin if the platform were mounted atop a pedestal.
There therefore exists a need for platform that can be retrofit onto a pre-existing pedestal and that includes readily accessible height and rotational adjustment means.
However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how the identified needs could be fulfilled.
The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled needs for a platform that is retrofittable onto a pre-existing upstanding pedestal, which provides easy access to adjustment means, and which may be used without a pedestal as a platform upon which to stand or as a platform upon which to sit, is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.
The novel platform includes a bottom plate having a central opening formed therein. The central opening, in a first embodiment, is adapted to receive an uppermost end of a pre-existing upstanding pedestal.
A flat plate is disposed in elevated relation to the bottom plate and in alignment with said central opening to provide a mounting surface for a pedestal that extends through said central opening. The flat plate is secured to an uppermost end of the pre-existing upstanding pedestal in surmounting relation thereto.
A top plate is disposed in parallel relation to the bottom plate and in vertically spaced apart, parallel relation to the flat plate.
A plurality of pairs of rigid link members are positioned at the side and rearward edges of the top plate and the bottom plate in interconnecting relation thereto. Each pair of rigid link members is interconnected to one another in a scissors-like interconnection so that the top plate and bottom plate remain in parallel relation to one another when the top plate is displaced relative to the bottom plate.
A height-adjustment pin has a handle and a pedestal-engaging distal end so that the height of the platform is adjustable along the extent of the pedestal when the pin is pulled and so that the height of the platform is locked when the pin is released. The height-adjustment pin is accessible from the front of the platform due to the of the flat plate relative to the bottom plate.
The flat plate is supported at its opposite edges thereof by upstanding side walls mounted to the bottom plate on opposite sides of the central opening.
A first and second pair of truncate links interconnect respective front edges of the top plate and bottom plate at laterally spaced apart opposite sides thereof. A first link of the first pair of links has a leading end pivotally secured to a front edge of the top plate and a trailing end pivotally secured to a first axle means to which is pivotally secured the trailing end of a second link of the first pair of truncate links. The second link of the first pair has a leading end pivotally secured to a front edge of the bottom plate. A first link of the second pair of links has a leading end pivotally secured to a front edge of the top plate and a trailing end pivotally secured to a second axle means to which is pivotally secured the trailing end of a second link of the second pair of truncate links. The second link of the second pair has a leading end pivotally secured to a front edge of the bottom plate.
First and second cylinders, also known as gas springs, are disposed in laterally spaced relation to one another between the top plate and the bottom plate on opposite sides of the central opening. Each of the first and second cylinders has a first end pivotally secured to the bottom plate near the rearward edge thereof. The first and second cylinders have first and second plungers, respectively, adapted to engage the first and second pairs of truncate links.
More particularly, a first roller is mounted on the first axle means disposed between the respective trailing ends of the first pair of truncate links. The first plunger bears against the first roller to urge an angle between the first pair of truncate links to increase, thereby causing an increase in distance between the top and bottom plates.
A second roller is mounted on the second axle means disposed between the respective trailing ends of the second pair of truncate links. The second plunger bears against the second roller to urge an angle between the second pair of truncate links to increase, thereby causing an increase in distance between the top and bottom plates.
An elongate first bias means encircles the first cylinder and plunger, i.e., the first gas spring, and urges the first plunger to extend outwardly from its cylinder to bear against the first roller. An elongate second bias means encircles the second cylinder and plunger, i.e., the second gas spring, and urges the second plunger to extend outwardly from its cylinder to bear against the second roller. The first and second bias means are preferably provided in the form of coil springs. Suitable means are provided for adjusting the force exerted by each spring.
The first and second gas springs cooperatively resist external forces applied to the top plate that urge the distance between the top and bottom plates to decrease.
In a second embodiment, the novel platform includes a bottom plate and a top plate disposed in parallel, vertically spaced apart relation to the bottom plate. A plurality of pairs of rigid link members are positioned at the side and rearward edges of the top plate and the bottom plate in interconnecting relation thereto. Each pair of rigid link members is interconnected to one another in scissors interconnection so that the top plate and bottom plate remain in parallel relation to one another when the top plate is displaced relative to the bottom plate. A pair of gas springs is disposed between the top plate and the bottom plate in interconnecting relation thereto. There is no center opening formed in the bottom plate to accommodate a pedestal. Forces imparted to the top plate are resisted by the gas springs. The platform has utility as a shock absorbing platform when stood upon as a seat means when sat upon.
An important object of this invention is to provide a shock absorbing platform is easily retrofit onto a pre-existing pedestal for the purpose of replacing an inadequate platform.
Another important object is to provide a platform that has height adjustment and rotational adjustment means that are readily accessible to users.
It is also an important object to provide a platform made of readily available, inexpensive parts.
Another object is to provide a platform that may be directly supported by a boat deck or other vehicle surface, in the absence of pedestals, so that it may be stood upon.
A closely related object is to provide such a platform that is sized to fit within the confines of a bolster chair so that a user can simultaneously gain the benefits of a bolster chair and the shock absorbing platform when the seat part of the bolster chair is folded into a storage position.
Still another object is to provide a platform upon which a user can sit upon in a boat or other vehicle lacking a shock absorbing seat.
These and other important objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become clear as this description proceeds.
The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts that will be exemplified in the description set forth hereinafter and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.